Water Smarts 2002

• Year: 2002
• Title: Water Smarts
• Author: Upper Arkansas Area COG USGS Pueblo Office
• Description: A well and septic system owner's guide to ground water in the upper arkansas area chaffee, custer, fremont, and lake counties, Colorado
• Publications - Doc Type: Other

Successful ISDS placement and use is based on the carrying
capacity of the land. The land's capacity is not unlimited and
must be managed.
Becoming your own water and sewage manager can be one of the
unexpected challenges of mountain living. Many new residents
do not know much about maintaining their well and septic
systems —and may be too intimidated to learn.
Realize that the actions you take every day help determine the
quality of your water supply, and that there are some things you
can do to help keep your environment healthy.
When a septic system or well is improperly constructed, or a
septic system is not regularly maintained, raw sewage can seep
into the ground and contaminate the well water. In fact, failing
septic systems are the leading cause of water contamination in the
mountains. To avoid health problems, have your well water
tested periodically, and have your septic system maintained
regularly.
Maintain your well. Periodically inspect the well head and seals,
and fix them when needed. Remove chemicals or other
contaminant sources, such as manure, from around the well head.
Mix chemicals far away from wells and dispose of paint thinners
and other pollutants properly rather than dumping them on the
ground or pouring them into your septic system. Some counties
and cities have household hazardous waste drop -off sites for
proper disposal of these materials.
Have your well water tested periodically and ask the laboratory
technician if you need a water treatment system. For water
quality testing, hire an independent, third party technician to
collect a water sample on a random day and have it analyzed by a
state - certified laboratory. Always get treatment claims in writing
with a guarantee.
Consider that a new septic system can cost between $10,000 and
$25,000. Considerable variation exists in available design and
Tips on Septic Systems
• Obtain a permit to install a septic
system from your county health
department (in Colorado).
• Have the system designed by an
engineer and installed by a
qualified contractor, both with
experience in fractured rock
environments. Consider advanced
treatment technologies.
• Locating the system at least 200
feet from any well to avoid
contamination is recommended.
• Consult the County Dept. of Health
or Environment for system
construction and maintenance
guidelines.
• Have an existing system (tank and
leach field) inspected by a
qualified inspector before buying.
After buying, have the tank
inspected and pumped regularly.
• Be aware that a home addition
may require enlarging the system.
• Systems can handle only limited
water flow, so allow time between
showers and laundry, and repair
plumbing.
• Keep these out of drains and
toilets: grease, kitchen wastes
(bones, eggshells), toxic chemicals
(drain cleaner, paint thinner,
antifreeze), condoms, and
feminine hygiene products.
• Consider using non -toxic and
biodegradable products (e.g.,
phosphate -free detergents and
propylene glycol antifreeze).
installation options. Keep in Typical Septic Tank
mind that rocky terrain, steep
slope, shallow water table
and tight soils may require
Drainpipe
additional excavation, and
from house
the import of proper
construction materials. All
of these can add to the cost.
To safeguard against poor
construction or the use of
improper materials, it is
Sludge, or"
recommended that an
solids, seine
to the bottom of
the tank
15
Pipe transports
wastewater to
the leach field